The Vest of Kimiku
by BradburyStreet
Summary: While on their way to find a new temple, Chase Young ambushes the Xiaolin monks and turns everyone but Clay and Omi into cat warriors. Now the pair must find a way to defeat Chase and save their friends before it's too late! Retelling of the Xiaolin Chronicles episode, 'Princess Kaila of the Thousand Layer Mountain'.
1. Chapter 1

Thunderhoof galloped across the evening sky, following the path of color that stretched well into the horizon. A horizon that couldn't come soon enough for Dojo's sake; at this point the dragon was reduced to chewing on his own tail to starve off the restlessness. _"Are we there yet?"_ he whined.

Exasperated, Omi reached out and clamped Dojo's mouth shut before he could open it again. "Enough with the consistent whining!" he growled, eyebrows scrunching down into a frown. "Thunderhoof knows where he's going!" the monk reiterated.

"Seriously Dojo, _give it a rest_. You've been asking that nonstop since Master Fung sent us off." Kimiko chastised. Although she had to admit, she was getting pretty impatient herself. Not to mention riding a horse without a saddle was beginning to chafe her thighs.

As soon as the grip around his snout was released, the dragon took a moment to inhale deeply. He then reached up to message it and shrunk toward Ping Pong behind him. "I'm sorry guys, I really am, but I just can't wait to see our new temple! I just _know_ Baby Blue Eyes will be waiting for me there!" Dojo swooned.

"Remember Dojo; patience is a virtue," Ping Pong gave him a few sympathetic pats to the head. "It's also best to be realistic. Master Fung might still be absent once we arrive." he cautioned. That being said, he too was chafing from the lack of a saddle and hoped it wouldn't any further.

Thunderhoof suddenly reared up with a neigh and Kimiko grabbed onto Clay's shoulder to prevent herself from tumbling off. Raimundo peered over the cowboy's opposite one as their steed kicked his tail into high gear. "Woah! Where's the fire dude?!" he yelped.

"I reckon we're on the last lap of the derby," Clay held onto his hat as Thunderhoof leapt over a ridge and galloped down its leeward side. In the distance, he could see Thunderhoof's path dipping through a chain of hills. "Brace yerselves, looks like we're in fer some buckin!" he warned.

Everyone held each other tightly as Thunderhoof galloped through the chain of hills, twisting left and right when the directions called for it. Dojo clung to the collar of Ping Pong's jacket while the horse cut a corner that was too tight for his taste before plunging deep into a valley. He covered his mouth when feeling his stomach churn from this roller coaster of hair and lightning.

Likewise, Raimundo was going to either hurl on Clay's shoulder or to the side if they made another hairpin turn. Fortunately for both the monk and dragon, Thunderhoof had climbed over his last ridge for the time being. Instead of plunging into another valley his path remained smooth and stable.

Raimundo took the opportunity to collect himself, fixing the hairs that fell out of line during their sudden flight and then swallowed the nausea that still lingered in his mouth. He glanced ahead to see where Thunderhoof's path was heading and noticed a great mountain swelling on the horizon. In the foreground a simple village stood perched before a gorge that sliced deep into the earth.

Thunderhoof slowed his pace and then came to a halt when reaching the end of his path. A crowd of curious onlookers began to gather around the horse while the monks hopped off his back. Raimundo brushed horse hair off his pants before turning his attention to the villagers gawking at him.

"Thunderhoof, are you sure this is the right place?" he scratched the back of his head in confusion. He glanced back at the horse who remained idle, as if he were certain. "Everything looks so… _peaceful_." Raimundo noticed.

Suddenly the ground began to heave, and the great mountain that overlooked the village burst into a violent eruption. A column filled to the brim with volcanic gasses and superheated ash climbed through the sky before winds aloft dragged it laterally instead. Lava surged from the vent in a spectacular fountain, spilling over the crater's rim and then streaked down its flanks.

The crowd of curiosity transformed into a mob of pandemonium almost instantaneously. Kimiko stumbled back as people pushed and shoved their way to relative safety, running in all directions with arms laden with loved ones or prized heirlooms. "You might've spoken a little too soon there Raimundo." she said while bumping into his arm.

"I certainly agree Kimiko." the monks flinched at the voice ringing through their ears. It was followed up with a recognizable laugh and Clay turned skyward in time to see two figures land before them. When the dust settled, they could see that it was no other than the Heylin warlord himself and the mighty Shadow.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged into our rodeo; _reptilian Chase_." Clay spat with the tip of his hat. Chase watched as the cowboy cracked his knuckles in preparation for a brawl. "Ah Bailey, just what I expect from a gluttonous pig; _mudslinging_." he grinned.

Clay growled at the insult and stepped forward, only to have Omi leap in front. Ping Pong joined him moments later and the pair shifted into their respective fighting stance. Yet the warlord remained unmoved by the display of valiance. "Young monks, your journey ends here." Chase declared.

"Hah! You are clearly mistaken! Our journey has only just begun – even if we don't know where we are going!" Omi reprimanded. "That's right! A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step!" Ping Pong added.

Shadow licked her lips in delight. "The lil' ones are so cute when their feisty," she cocked her head with a hum and then smacked her lips again. "I could just eat 'em right up, _yum_." the warrior said in a sing-song voice.

"You'll have to get in line," Chase snapped his fingers and cat warriors materialized from the shadows. Within minutes the monks were surrounded by ferocious, man-eating felines. "Because there are plenty who want a bite of them." he grinned.

Dojo poked his head from Omi's robes and swallowed thickly at the number of big cats surrounding them. He trembled in fright and slithered up to the monk's head, looking pleadingly to Chase's beastly form. "I-It uh, wouldn't be late to mention that I-I'm uh, allergic to cats? A-Also I'm not _technically_ a monk!" he argued.

Chase smiled at him, green energy washing over him to reveal his human self once evaporated. As if he took this form to ease the dragon's concern. "I have big plans for you, Dojo. You'll be the center of my celebration feast once the monks have been picked clean to the bone." he revealed to the contrary.

"I'll bet Dojo will give the Lao Mang Lone Soup the extra kick it needs, bein' fresh dragon all." Shadow pointed out. She watched as Dojo recoiled in horror at her suggestion, green scales flacking off his body in consequence. "You'll let me have a sip when it's all fixed up right?" she turned to Chase with a hopeful grin.

"No will be eating fresh dragon tonight!" Omi shouted. Dojo slithered into the monk's robes as Chase's cat warriors slowly closed in on them. "Prepare yourselves for a humiliating defeat!" he warned.

"Cat warriors!" Chase barked with the snap of his fingers. His feline warriors roared in unison. "Tear them to pieces, and when you're done, tear those pieces into **smaller** pieces." he ordered.

Gallant as ever, Omi charged headfirst the moment Chase's cat warriors leapt upon their master's orders. He ducked when a mountain lion tried making a swipe at his face and then slammed a fist into their jaw in retaliation. The feline flung back and crashed into a pair of lynxes, incapacitating them as well.

The monk twirled around to evade a cheetah that charged toward him, the big cat skidding to a halt before doubling back for another charge. As the cheetah ran past Omi he reached out and gave their tail a hard yank. He mustered all his strength to swing them into a crowd of jaguars, giving him enough space to bring out his Shen Gong Wu.

"Orb of Tornami! Shoku Neptune Water!" the orb shimmered before a column of water blasted into the ash-filled sky. Doubling over, it surged toward the ground and then fanned into a massive wave. Cat warriors that weren't fast enough were carried along the churning rapids and washed into the gorge.

Raimundo's heels dug into dirt as he tried pushing back against two hundred pounds of spotted muscle. The jaguar roared right in his face and he could only think how awful the smell of rotten capybara flesh was. Despite the claws digging into his palms, the monk gave a cocky smirk before ramming his knee into the jaguar's chest.

A pained hiccup seemed to part from the jaguar's mouth and Raimundo took the opportunity to throw the feline aside with a growl. He turned to see more cat warriors running towards him and drew a golden blade. "Sword of the Storm! Shoku Astro Wind!" he cried.

With one swing, the battalion of Bengal tigers were swept aside by a powerful blast of wind. The monk turned to a barrage of snow leopards and swung again, chuckling as the felines were sucked into a vortex that propelled them away. "You guys are makin' this too—" Raimundo didn't get the chance to finish his taunt when he was struck in the back.

His Wu clattered to the ground while he tumbled several times. Raimundo let out a grunt when his back slammed against the dirt and then winced as Shadow pressed her whole weight onto him. She giggled at the sight of him struggling, tongue flicking out to swipe at his cheek. "Handsome _and_ delicious. What a delightful combination." the warrior grinned.

"Girl, I got two words for you," Raimundo scrunched his legs back and then slammed them into Shadow's stomach, flinging her off. He jumped to his feet, brushing the wrinkles out of his jacket as the other rose with a hiss. _"Breath mint."_ he sneered.

Kimiko ducked and the pair of cheetahs that tried to flank her from either direction collided head-first into each other. She then swung her leg around to strike a lion in the jaw, preventing its sharp canines from chomping down on her arm. "See, this is why I'm not a cat person!" she growled while fighting.

Within minutes another pack of big cats surrounded her. Before either of them could make a fatal bite or swipe of the paw, the monk jumped high into air. She counted the number of cats that surrounded her and then pulled out her signature Shen Gong Wu. "Star Hanabi! Shoku Mars Fire!" Kimiko yelled.

A massive ball of flame exploded from the gem at the center of the Wu. Bellowing toward the ground, the fire blossomed into ten individual streaks of flames; the same number of cats that encircled Kimiko. Cat warriors scrambled away as fire and brimstone drenched them, some considerably burned or their fur alight.

"Fearsome Cedar!" Ping Pong slammed his fist into the jaw of an Amur tiger, knocking several of its teeth out. He dodged a leopard swiping at him and then tossed the feline over his shoulder. "Galloping Birch!" he lashed out with a cry.

For a new monk, he was holding up quite well against the onslaught of cat warriors. At least he was until Chase Young decided to step into the fray. Ping Pong tried giving him a most humiliating defeat, but one swift kick from the warlord to his chest knocked the wind right out of him.

Ping Pong hit the ground with a hard thud and tried rising back up – only to have Chase slam a foot down on his chest. The monk squirmed like a roach pinned and denounced him sharply in French. He held his tongue when Chase raised his hand with a laugh, electricity gathering in his palm.

"Hey!" the warlord turned in time to see Clay's chest slam right into him, pushing off Ping Pong. Frowning, he watched as the pair gave each other a silent nod before the littlest monk scampered away. "Why don't cha pick on someone yer own size!" Clay growled.

"You're hardly my size to begin with." Chase scoffed. The cowboy growled again and then charged at him like an enraged bull. He wavered around his swings, blocking punches meant to knock his head clean right off his shoulders.

Likewise, Chase pushed back with the same amount of vigor, throwing punches made to topple Clay over. But just like his element, it was hard for him to topple a mountain – especially a mountain that was six foot three and wore leather boots. When the cowboy swung at him again he managed to catch both fists and locked the two of them into a stalemate.

"Goodness, you certainly swing hard, don't you?" Chase said with a grunt, pushing against Clay's hands. "Brawns aside, I hoped you'd actually put that _pea-brain_ of yours into use." he taunted.

"Yer right, I **should** be usin' my head," the cowboy reeled back and then smashed his brow into the bridge of Chase's nose. When Chase stumbled back in a howl, Clay slammed his boot down and sent a rock pillar crashing into him. "Thanks fer the suggestion." he smirked.

The warlord was hurtled into the air and would've tumbled if it weren't for his quick reflexes. Skidding to a halt, his back bumped against Shadow's – her breath was coming short of a pant. "A bit feistier than I anticipated." she glanced to him.

"Seems as though I've underestimated their zeal." Chase wiped the blood dripping from his nose; that was going to take a while to heal. Green energy washed over him as he lowered his hand, changing the warlord into his reptilian form once more. "Let's give these amateurs a **real** right then." he growled.

The two parted ways; Shadow lunging at Kimiko with newfound enthusiasm, Chase barreling toward Clay again. Hearing a great roar, the cowboy turned to see Chase bearing down on him with claws extended. Hands shot up just in time to catch those claws as he and the warlord collided.

"Now, what was that about picking on someone your own size again?" Chase laughed a good head taller than the cowboy. He watched in delight as Clay struggled in vain to keep himself from being overwhelmed by his weight. "Not fun being the little guy, isn't it Bailey?" he chided.

Chase shoved him back and spun around to smack his tail into Clay's chest. The cowboy was flung into the air in consequence, his body falling toward the horizon. Despite the joy that came with inflicting such mayhem on the monks, the warlord found himself getting impatient.

He felt this fight of theirs had overstayed its welcome – not to mention it would only be a matter of time before they succumbed to volcanic ash. Changing into his human form one more time, Chase began charging toward the nearest monk, green energy collecting in the palm of his hands. The warlord had a plan to end it, albeit a little unorthodox for his standards.

Raimundo was busy throwing leopards over his shoulders when Chase came into sight. He shifted his stance to face him, assuming he too wanted a piece him as well. But unknown to him, Chase wasn't looking for a fight; he'd just found his first victim instead.

With a growl, he raised a hand and blasted the energy that gathered his palm. There was no time to evade and the monk screamed as it struck him dead on. His body contorted and Raimundo fell on all fours, Chase's sorcery transforming him into a cat.

Kimiko stopped dead in her tracks when hearing Raimundo's scream. She turned her attention from the lions she'd been fighting and glanced to where he'd screamed. "Raimundo?!" she called out.

Changing her attention proved to be a fatal mistake as when she glanced back, the lions were gone and Chase stood in their place instead. She barely turned to face him fully when Chase blasted her as well, adding another monk to his legion of cat warriors. The warlord laughed as she hissed at him and then sought the remaining three.

Ping Pong provided him some decent resistance but just like Raimundo and Kimiko he was quickly subdued. The warlord found Clay wrestling with Bengal tigers, raising an eyebrow when he watching him shattered a tiger's hind leg in just one hand. Well, he'd certainly didn't want to confront Omi with a broken arm.

The cowboy glanced over his shoulder to see a massive boulder rolling towards him. Chase smirked when the boulder rolled onto Clay and pinned him to the ground. That should hold him bay for now; brushing the dirt off his hands, he set his sights on the prodigy child himself.

Thunderhoof came galloping to his master's aid, only to have Clay wave him off, "It's no use partner! Save yerself Thunderhoof!" he yelled. The horse reared up with a neigh and then vanished with a bolt of lightning. His talisman clattered to the ground, just beyond an agonizing reach for the cowboy.

Omi was panting and sweat ringed his collar; he'd been too gallant in his charge to battle and now the fatigue was catching up to him. Shadow was relentless, her prehensile locks trying to hole him like Swiss cheese. "What's the matter Omi? Can't handle my _female_ willies?" she jeered.

"No female willies haven't gotten the best of me, so don't think yours will be the first!" the monk snapped back with a punch to her gut. Shadow reeled back with a hiss and lashed out with her tongue. Omi yelped as his ankle as caught and then screamed as he was swung into the ground.

Tasting blood on his tongue, he barely had a chance to recover when the warrior swung him in the opposite direction. The second impact knocked the Orb of Tornami from his robes and it rolled harmlessly across the dirt, only to bump against Chase's feet. "This what I find? The famed 'Chosen One' _subdued by a mere tongue?_ " he scoffed, kicking the Wu aside.

When Shadow flung him into the air, the warlord lashed out and the electricity meant for Ping Pong found a new target. "Just the way I like my cheeseballs," Shadow watched as Omi was zapped with a million volts before falling to the ground in a smoldering heap. " **Fried** to a crisp." she grinned.

Chase sauntered over the monk's body, which still twitched from the electric shock. Omi was barely conscious when his collar was yanked and he was brought face to face with the warlord. "Look at you; so **weak** , so **pathetic**. You've stayed by my side when you had the chance." he hissed.

Veins bulged on Clay's neck and brow as he tried pushing the boulder off himself. He couldn't stay pinned like this; Chase and Shadow were still running amuck and he needed to help his friends wrangle them in. Inhaling a deep breath, the cowboy pressed his hands against the hefty piece of rock.

His ears perked at the sound of a grunt and he turned up in time to see Omi soaring over him. "Omi!" Clay watched in horror as his friend plummet into the gorge; no one throws his friend like that! "Shoku Jupiter Earth!" he slammed his fists into the boulder, shattering it to pieces.

Scooping up the Longhorn Talisman, Clay stumbled back when Chase suddenly blocked his path. A wicked grin stretched across Chase's face and his palms shimmered green. "Now we could do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice, cowboy." the warlord warned.

Clay glanced to the gorge and then to Chase. He swallowed thickly; talk about being either kicked in the face by a bronco or trampled by bulls. His eyes shifted back to the gorge before looking at Chase again, hands curling into fists.

Shadow ran just in time to see the cowboy dodge a blast of energy from Chase and dive into the gorge. She approached her lord's side as Clay vanished into the mist. "Aren't you goin' to go after him?" she pointed.

"No need, not even a lumbering oaf like Bailey could survive that fall." Chase smirked. A shame really, for both monks; Omi and Clay could've been great assets, if after making a few adjustments. Now they were nothing more than just carrion for the scavengers.

"Besides," he snapped his fingers and Shadow glanced over her shoulder to see cat warriors gathering at their feet. An eyebrow was raised when she spotted the feline bodies of Raimundo, Kimiko, and Ping Pong at the front.

"We have three new warriors to train." Chase grinned.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

Yikes, what a cliffhanger - no pun intended.

As mentioned in the summary, retelling of an episode from _Xiaolin Chronicles_. It's more like set in _Chronicles_ but retains elements from _Showdown_ , the Shen Gong Wu retaining their original names for example. So as you can see, the biggest divergence is that Clay didn't get turned into a cat warrior like he would've in the original episode. It bothered me why didn't he jump after Omi and there was enough time for him to make the jump before Chase popped in front of him.

That's how the idea for this story came to be. Not to mention my wondering of how would an Omi and Clay centered scenario work out. Especially since these two spend the least amount of time together in both series. How or what would their dynamic be?

All right, I'm done rambling. Feedback is welcomed!


	2. Chapter 2

Just like his element, Clay was plummeting into the gorge like a stone, air lashing his face as it rushed past him. The moment he let go of his hat, the rush of air swept it away to regions unknown. Usually the loss of his most prized possession would elicit a strong and emotional response from him.

Yet the cowboy remained indifferent to his missing hat; he quickly realized while important, it was still just a hat, and they sold hats like his by the barrel back home. A determined, although anxious frown creased his brow while his eyes remained steady on the small body tumbling ahead of him. Unlike his hat, Clay was certain they didn't sell Omi by the barrel back home.

A growl rumbled from his chest as he tried making himself more aerodynamic, more streamline to increase his falling speed. Clay could feel his heart thump madly inside his chest; the further he fell the more jagged the cliff side became. It would be only a matter of time before they crash into it or smash into the gorge's bottom.

He needed to act fast before either one of them would splatter like an egg hitting the frying pan. The cowboy stretched his arms out as his attempts to increase his speed paid off; he was drawing closer to Omi. Just a little more – perhaps another foot or two – and Clay could at least try cushioning the impact for his friend.

But there wasn't enough time for just another foot or two and Clay could see a particularly nasty piece of rock swelling before them. It was now or never; with a grunt, reached out and grabbed Omi's collar, pulling him into a tight embrace. His body curled around the monk and he closed his eyes to the inevitable impact.

His ribs slammed into the rock, which knocked the wind right out of him. He didn't get even the chance to cry out in pain before the world inverted and his back crashed into another unruly piece of rock. Sliding off, the cowboy seemed to bounce then, along the way taking chunks of rocks with him.

Those chunks crashed into other rocks, which then collided with several more and created an unfortunate chain reaction. Eventually the tumbling rocks overtook Clay and his body disappeared among the crumbling earth. The avalanche of sedimentary grew larger as it raced toward the gorge's bottom, picking up boulders that could easily crush a man without effort.

The avalanche slammed into the bottom of the gorge and the sound of debris spilling about echoed throughout the vicinity. A cloud of dust carried by the cascading rocks billowed across the gorge's bottom and then climbed the opposite cliff several feet. Once it had dissipated, an eerie silence pervaded the area, broken now and then by the distant rumble of the volcano.

It was in this silence there came a little groan of pain, and Dojo crawled out of Omi's robes with the taste of blood strong in his mouth. Claws digging into the red fabric, the dragon pulled himself over his friend's side and then plopped to the ground with another pained groan. He tried getting up again – only to succeed in falling flat on his stomach once more.

Good God, he hasn't been in this much pain since Wuya tried to raze Luoyang; wheezing, Dojo held his head and tried to focus, his vision blurry. A groan bubbled from his chest and he forced the bile rising in his throat back down. "T-Talk about being in the lion's den, right Omi?" Dojo asked while rubbing his brow tentatively.

"Omi?" Dojo slithered toward the monk's face and tapped his cheek a little. When there was no reaction, he tapped a little harder, a frown creasing his brow. "Omi, you there kiddo?" he called.

Uh-oh, this wasn't good – _this wasn't good at all_ ; no matter how many times the dragon tried rousing his friend, Omi remained flatter than cardboard. He whined in distress and reached to swipe the blood dribbling from his nose, then the corner of his mouth. To his horror, the monk still smelled faintly of burnt flesh.

"Omi speak to me! C'mon kiddo, I know you're tougher than this!" Dojo pleaded. The monk's head bobbing as he shook him roughly didn't help to quell the panic rising in his chest. He laid him down moments later and reeled back, a hand clasping his mouth.

His ears perked to the sound of rocks settling and he looked over his shoulder. In the distance, the toe of the rockslide seemed to bulge at first and then suddenly, a bloody hand burst from it. "Clay!" Dojo cried; he couldn't believe it and yet no one else at the temple had palms big as his.

The cowboy struggled as he tried pulling himself out of the jagged rocks, a painful whine causing him to pause for a moment before writhing again. Pebbles clattered to the ground when he pulled his boots free and Dojo watched as he tried remaining firm in those boots. But there was a wobble and Clay dropped to his knees with another painful whine.

Dojo had been slithering toward him, the smile from seeing Clay alive vanishing the closer he got. If Omi was a corpse then Clay was one that's been reanimated; bruised and battered, all that's left was for him to moan about brains. He flinched a little when the cowboy suddenly jerked up to see him, eyes widened in shock.

"D-Dojo, yer alive… _oh thank God_ , yer alive!" Clay immediately rose to meet the dragon but after a couple of steps, the pain forced him to drop again. He doubled over and held his ribs tightly. "Jesus fuckin' Christ." he hissed.

"Easy there big guy," Dojo reached and caught him before he could keel over. With a grunt, he pushed Clay upright once more. "Glad you're okay, but let's take it easy now. You've just been buried six feet deep, and I don't want to see it become permanent the second time around." he warned.

The cowboy nodded dumbly and licked the blood from his lips. A frown creased his swollen brow moments later. "Where's… where's Omi?" Clay asked.

"He's over there, I can't seem to—" Dojo didn't get the chance to finish his sentence because Clay was already on his feet and hobbling over to the fallen monk. He slithered over as well and watched as Omi was carefully scooped into Clay's arms.

"Omi, c'mon now partner," Clay shook him a little and then tapped his cheek. His heart winced in fear when he didn't get a reaction; had his jump been all for nothing? "Omi! C'mon, get a hold of yerself! Ain't no way _the Chosen One_ gets defeated this easily!" he snapped.

An eyebrow twitched and slowly Omi opened his eyes with a painful whine. His brow creased into a confused frown when seeing Clay and Dojo looming overhead, exasperated but very relieved. Before he could ask why they were gawking him like that, his face was pressed right into Clay's chest.

"Jesus Christ partner, 'ya gave us quite a fright!" the cowboy hugged him even tighter, a breathless laugh parting his bloody lips. Dojo looped around and planted several kisses on the back of Omi's head. "Oh, I just _knew_ that big head of yours wouldn't crack that easy!" he thanked.

The merriment was cut short, however, when the monk wiggled out of his friend's tight grip. He wobbled a little before standing upright and placed both hands on his hips. His frown would've been more effective if it weren't for the dirtied clothes and black eye.

"This is no time for the hugging and kissing!" Omi reprimanded. His voice was sharper than a knife, his breath a little shaky from rising anger. "Where is Chase Young?!" he demanded.

Scurrying to his left, the monk glanced around before taking a swing at the air. He then darted to the right and slashed the air with a foot instead. "I will show him! I will show him who is **weak** and **pathetic**!" Omi growled.

Yet the Heylin warlord was nowhere to be seen. Neither was his lackey or the other Xiaolin monks for the matter. Blinking, Omi stood motionless for a moment and then glanced up to the falling ash, reality finally catching up to him.

Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at his friends and then at the pebbles bouncing down to the rockslide's toe. Dojo had managed to get Clay propped against a boulder, tugging off his bandana, and was working on the buttons of his shirt when Omi trotted back. "What happened?" he asked.

"Chase Young happened partner. That no-good scoundrel threw 'ya overboard," Clay trailed off with a hiss as Dojo opened his shirt. Both him and the monk winced at the sight of considerable bruising that covered the right side of his ribs. "I jumped after 'ya. Broke a couple of ribs, it seems." he smirked.

"I don't think so big guy," Dojo pressed a palm against the cowboy's right pectoral and then moved over his ribs. His ears perked to the way Clay breathed and he brushed some blood from a scrape. "At best, a couple are cracked, but nothing forking your lung." he observed.

Omi swallowed thickly, his stomach churning at his friend's injuries. It was unnerving seeing Clay – the biggest and strongest monk out of them all – in such a horrific state. "… Where are the others?" his voice was meek.

Dojo gave a shrug of the shoulders. Using his bandana, he cleaned the scrapes on Clay's left arm. "I don't know. You think they might've been captured?" the dragon suggested.

"Oh no, _oh no_ ," Omi reeled back with a whine, shaking his head. "This is all my fault..." he turned away in shame.

"How," Clay paused as he rose forward, jaw clenching to starve off the pain. Oh, he was definitely going to feel this in the morning. "How in tarnation is this all yer fault?" he huffed.

"If I had been better, I would not have been defeated by Shadow and her female willies," the monk dropped his knees. "Furthermore, Chase Young would not have won, neither would our friends been captured, and you injured." Omi sighed bitterly.

Dojo blinked a couple of times before his brow creased into a frown. He slithered over to Omi then, looping around to reach for his cheeks. "First of all, don't beat yourself up over this kiddo." the dragon cupped them gently.

"Secondly, you can't be everywhere at once. The last time you tried that, Jack Spicer won the showdown, and Master Fung made you clean all the crockery with a toothbrush for three weeks." Dojo reminded. He smiled when the monk looked him in the eye.

"Finally, with one defeat comes a thousand victories, y'know?" the dragon pointed out. "At least, that's how 'ole Blue Eyes would say it. Of course, in a better spin, mind you." Dojo chuckled.

Staggering to his feet, Clay hobbled over to the pair in a huff. "Partner, there's no way I could've just stayed idle and let that no-good varmint chuck 'ya like a sack of flour." he insisted, dropping to his knees again. He reached over and patted Omi's back several times.

"Don't worry about my injuries, I'll pull through," the cowboy patted his chest for good measure. "I'm just glad yer alive lil' buddy. Can't imagine the temple without my best friend." Clay smiled.

"My friends," Omi looked to them both, a smile growing on his face. He then took a deep breath and sighed, his confidence restored. "You both are right! I should not act so low in the landfill!" he cried.

"Uh, I reckon 'ya mean down in the dumps?" Clay corrected. Dojo snickered as Omi's finger wavered for a moment at the idiom. "That, too!" the monk nodded.

"Glad to have you back kiddo," Dojo gave him a high five before crossing his arms. "Now we just need to save our friends and the world before Chase Young plunges it into darkness. No biggie, right?" he grinned.

Silence fell as everyone tried formulating a respective game plan. Omi rubbed his chin while he pondered, brow creasing into a frown. How could they stop Chase Young; a master of Tai Chi and one brilliant warrior?

"Sacramento!" Omi snapped his fingers in elation. Ignoring the 'Eureka' from the cowboy, he patted himself down and reached into his robes. "Fear not my friends, for I have the solution right here!" he beamed, pulling out the Cheetah Claws.

"It is quite a cunning plan; if we can't defeat Chase Young in the _present_ , perhaps we should learn how to defeat him in the _past_. Surely _Grand Master Dashi_ would not mind the visit, right?" the monk proposed. Dojo was on board but Clay had his doubts, however.

"Hold on a sec, remember those claws aren't the most reliable now," he paused for a moment to spit blood aside. "If yer not careful, 'ya might end up in the middle of Romeo's serenade to Juliet. Without pants too, which makes it even more embarrassin'." Clay warned.

"Right, right, I think Dashi meant to tweak that particular issue…" Dojo trailed off with a nod and rubbed his chin. He'd always been a 'build first, ask questions later' type of guy. "But y'know, life is about risks, and I'd say we take this one!" the dragon insisted.

Omi opened his mouth to agree when a growl suddenly rumbled behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he turned and then gasped at the sight of cat warriors advancing through the ash. Their eyes burned with a fury that could've easily dried the felines' soggy fur.

Dojo screamed in horror and immediately slithered into Omi's robes. Omi retreated several steps before Clay scooped him into his arms. "I reckon it's a risk just stayin' here too!" he gulped.

With a roar, the cat warriors charged at the trio, intent on fulfilling their master's orders. Seeing their window of opportunity closing, Omi wiggled his arm out of the cowboy's grasp. "Cheetah Claws!" the monk cried.

The Shen Gong Wu shimmered for a moment and then a golden bubble grew from its paw. The bubble ballooned outwards and enveloped the trio within seconds. One cat warrior tried leaping at them with claws extended, only to bounce off the bubble in consequence.

Halting their assault, the felines watched as the bubble glowed brighter and brighter. Then came a bright flash and the cats turned to shield their eyes. But when they looked back, the bubble was gone, as were those Xiaolin monks.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

This chapter was a bit tricky, considering I don't write Omi as often as I do Clay. But after several attempts and a few encouraging words from friends, I think I nailed him pretty down. I do apologize for taking a while to publish this chapter. Sometimes you have other commitments that require your attention first!

Feedback is welcomed!


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